Don’t know what to watch on Netflix tonight? Here are three original films from the streaming service that are worth a look:
“Handsome: A Netflix Mystery Movie”: In this entirely agreeable and thoroughly undemanding comic venture from talented star/writer/director Jeff Garlin, a dimwitted murderer — a cheesy actor type (Steven Weber) in a pool — fesses up to his grisly crime in the opening moments. That jarring reveal doesn’t diminish the pleasure of watching the ensuing blunder-prone investigation, which pairs lonely-heart Garlin with a horny partner (Natasha Lyonne, hilarious), as they ask inappropriate questions of “persons of interest.” Many of the costars — Lyonne, Weber and Amy Sedaris as Garlin’s wackadoodle boss — have their moments, but it’s the endearing, basset-hound-like Garlin who wins you over as lonely detective Gene Handsome. Here’s hoping we meet with him again on another silly investigation. (3 out of 4 stars)
“In the Shadow of Iris”: Back in the late ‘80s and ‘90s, the sorta-kinky thriller whipped audiences — and the box office– into a frenzy. But the lurid thriller soon wore out its welcome. This Netflix original from France pays satisfying homage to those teasing, steamy tales about duplicitous and impossibly beautiful people doing very bad things to each other. In this sexily shot back-stabber, a reported abduction thrusts a banker (Jalil Lespert) into a cat-and-mouse game with an ex-con mechanic (Romain Duris) and a beautiful woman (Charlotte Le Bon). U-turns and comeuppances ensue as the handsome drama set in Paris pushes us and its characters over to the dark side. Laspert directs with an understanding of the genre, and how to do right by it. (3 out of 4 stars)
“Win It All”: Eddie (Jake Johnson), a gambling addict, gets lured back to the tables when a bag stuffed with questionable cash lands in his safekeeping. But can he temper his habit so he can finally have an honest relationship with a hardworking nurse and single mom? Both Johnson — who co-wrote — and director and co-writer Joe Swanberg make us root for this anti-hero. All the performances hit the right notes, including from Keegan-Michael Key, as does the human and compassionate drama itself. What a find. (3 stars out of 4 stars)
Randy Myers in Motion 